From: Dave Dykstra <muapigvvgku3pddevx@lpwa.research.bell-labs.com>
Subject: SOFTWARE: NSBD 1.1, web-based free software distribution
Date: 6 May 1998 19:59:46 -0400

This is to announce version 1.1 of NSBD, Not-So-Bad Distribution.  NSBD is
updated frequently, but the version number is changed only rarely; the
patchlevel, however, is always changed whenever there is an update.  The
most significant change since the last announcement on this newsgroup is
added support for re-distribution of installed packages.  More experience
has been gained with the use of NSBD inside Bell Labs/Lucent Technologies,
which has resulted in numerous bug fixes and small feature additions.
Also, I have come to view NSBD as especially important for free software on
the internet, where the network cannot be trusted and a software provider
is also suspect, and I have changed the introductory text accordingly.
Watch for an article on NSBD in an upcoming issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal.

For more information see
    http://www.bell-labs.com/nsbd


------ Intro from the NSBD home page -----

NSBD is an automated Web-based distribution system that is designed for
distributing free software on the internet, where users cannot trust the
network and cannot entirely trust the maintainers of software. NSBD
authenticates packages with "Pretty Good(Tm) Privacy" (PGP(Tm)) digital
signatures so users can be assured that packages have not been tampered
with, and it limits the maintainer to only update selected files and
directories on the user's computer.  NSBD's focus is on security, leaving
as much control as is practical in the users' hands.

To accomplish the automated updates, NSBD supplies a means of checking for
updates to packages and automatically downloading and installing the
updates.  This "automated pull" style of distribution has the same effect
as the "push" style of distribution that is being given press lately, but
gives more control to the user.  A direct "push" style is also supported
which is not used as frequently but which is especially appropriate for
situations where there are multiple contributors to a shared server (for
example, a shared web-page server).

NSBD is free software, released under the terms of the GNU General Public
License. Binaries are available for a variety of Unix platforms, and the
source is available.  It is written in TCL/TK and C. It is portable to most
Unix platforms, and it shouldn't be very difficult to port it to PC-Windows
(any volunteers to help?).

- Dave Dykstra

---------------
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